What To Do With Morrissey, Ryan Adams, Michael Jackson
As the ugly truth about prominent musicians and their behaviors is revealed, Mike Henry here tackles the complex issue of radio's moral obligation to refrain from giving airtime to those who have assaulted the innocent, whether as a group or on an individual basis.
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Op-ed by Mike Henry of Paragon
I’m rarely stumped when a radio station client asks me whether they should play an artist or song, or not. That’s what I’m paid to do. The answer is simple, a mix of art and science. Does it sound great (art) and will listeners like it (science)? Lately though, I’ve been baffled, and it has nothing with whether a song sounds great or listeners like it.
A recent email from a music director read: “Where do we go from here? Clearly, this isn’t going to get easier.” He was referring to Morrissey and whether his station should play his music anymore, and included a link to a recent interview where Morrissey only increased the specter of his racist views rather than thwarted them. Among his quotes that disturbed me was, “Everyone ultimately prefers their own race … does this make everyone racist?”
All the stations I consult pulled Ryan Adams songs when it was reported that he allegedly has abused women. I agreed and openly supported their decisions. Now I ask myself, as with Morrissey, was that the right thing to do?
After the Leaving Neverland documentary aired earlier this year, Michael Jackson’s music was pulled from all my client stations, which are all locally-owned and operated, but is still massively played by commercial radio stations owned by publicly-owned radio groups. Which are right?
At a conference panel this year I learned that 19th century classical composer Richard Wagner (pronounce “Vog-ner”) wrote a pamphlet under a surreptitious name with anti-Semitic views, yet his music still airs on many Classical stations. Why does he get a pass?
Today I read a blog from musician Nick Cave who answered this question from a reader: “Generally, is it possible to separate the latter-day artist from his earlier art? More specifically, what are your views on Morrissey, both early days and his newer more ugly persona?” Cave’s response was logical: “Perhaps it is better to simply let Morrissey have his views, challenge them when and wherever possible, but allow his music to live on, bearing in mind we are all conflicted individuals – messy, flawed and prone to lunacies.” He reached the conclusion by sharing the paradigm that only an artist can have: “I think perhaps it would be helpful to you if you saw the proprietorship of a song in a different way. Personally, when I write a song and release it to the public, I feel it stops being my song. It has been offered up to my audience and they, if they care to, take possession of that song and become its custodian. The integrity of the song now rests not with the artist, but with the listener.”
Simple, right? Unfortunately, no. Not even the artist perspective solves the dilemma of a radio curator.
Personally, if my hands are on the controls of a radio station, I’m not playing Morrissey, Ryan Adams, Michael Jackson or Richard Wagner, or anyone else who assaults the innocent.
Personally, I’m never wearing the Morrissey t-shirt I was just given and can’t even bring myself to give it away. It’s in the rag basket, never worn. I’ve taken down the Ryan Adams album in my display collection. I’m never playing Michael Jackson again at our New Year’s house dance party that I deejay.
I didn’t have an answer for my client music director, and that bothers me. I can tell you my personal reaction, which is to not support any artist with documented attacks on entire races or individuals. But, is that the right answer for a radio station? I truly don’t know. I just know what I would do in their shoes. What about you?
Here’s a question: why do drugs and misogynistic sexual references to women get a pass? Artists who flaunt their drug use, and who brutally objectify women in their lyrics. Would you cut all Rolling Stones songs from your rotation because of Brown Sugar? If DJs really wanted to get righteous, and not just censor society’s most recent outcast, they should do background checks on a lot more musicians. I guarantee there would be a lot less music to play.
Um, WTF are you talking about?? Have you even looked into all the cases brought against MJ thoroughly?? Or do you just base your facts on anecdotal evidence from two grifters/perjurers who have a history of changing their stories and shifting their timelines of events(go study their depositions, for once). Plus, who TF do you think you are to censor what people listen to?? Who gave you that moral authority, douche?? Maybe that’s why you don’t own or will never own a radio station because if you knew what the hell you were talking about, you would research before you give an opinion on subject you know nothing about.
What is with this cancel culture? its cancerous to our society. We all know what a douche morrissey is but that never stopped me from liking his music. Also nothing he said in that interview was racist one bit. As for Ryan Adams, what was he guilty of? Being a complete asshole to women? Last I checked being a dick isnt illegal. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent in todays society but even after being proved innocent the damage has been done. A good example was Conor Oberst in 2014 when he was hit with allegations of sexual assault and rape. It almost ruined his career and it did affect his record sales for his new album. He was proven innocent by the woman who accused him of such crimes by admitting she lied about the whole thing. That leaving never land documentary was total Bull Shit! The dude is dead and cant even defend him self. If you were to only play music by the most righteous people who are without sin, you would have literally have nothing to play. ZERO! So point is quit being a douche bag and think you have the right to censor music simply because you dont agree with an artist or because they are being accused of a crime. Lot of my favorite artist have different views than I do but I never let that affect my experience with the music because the music is what matters. You sir are just a pretentious asshole who doesnt understand shit.
Completely agree with you 100%
There I plenty of music out there made by people who are not right wing nuts, don’t sexually harass women and don’t rape kids. I mean, Tom Waits, Aimee Mann, Tori Amos, Carcass, Pulp, Napalm Death, Dinosaur Jr, Husker Du, all of them are none of those things AND they make better music than the three pieces of sh*t that this article talks about
You just mentioned people nobody gives a fuck about or haven’t made a global impact on people’s lives. Basically, you just stated your personal preference and BTW, for once in your miserable, worthless life, research a topic before you give a dumbass opinion on it. You clearly aren’t well educated on the MJ case but the burden of proof is on you to back up your claim as to why you see him that way. If you can’t, then your opinion is baseless and lazy.
How can you lump these three together in any significant way? Michael Jackson abused children. PERIOD. Pull his ass from all stations forever ( I say). Its what weve essentially done to Bill Cosby. That one should be easy. Ryan Adams never physically assaulted anyone, and was cleared of sexual misconduct with a minor (is my understanding). Where it gets tricky with Ryan is he was mentally abusing women. He clearly needs some help as he wasn’t telling them they were a piece of shit he was telling them he would kill himself, and offering up his power as a producer to help their careers (How many men have done this in History). These are not the same thing as what Jackson and Cosby have done. However, you should not treat people this way. Everyone knows that. Now for your thought police turn on Wagner, and Morrisey. What do you think the odds are that you 100% agree with everything, every musician you’ve ever loved has said or done? Slim to none. I’m not saying its good to love the Nazis (he wrote that during their height), or its good to believe you should stick with your race. ITs just their opinion. I’m just asking why it bothers you or anyone else? Nobody is clean in life, and assuming so is just well…dumb. We dig up 10 year old tweets in order to bring down Kevin Hart as the host of the Oscars. Apparently people aren’t allowed to grow and change as they get older? His apology was good enough for the worlds most popular lesbian woman but not anyone else. You are perpetrating this outrage culture and allowing it to flourish. Personally I would never pull anyone, and I would never apologize for playing any of these people on my radio station. The people you may lose will gain your people that are happy to hear the individuals they love on a station and talk about how this station has gumption. I’m not saying these aren’t things to consider but Hank Williams was a well known racist, he was a man of his day. All I’m saying is when you play this game of God/Allah/buddah, or whatever its never going to end well.
Totally agree. The Ryan Adams situation is particularly bothersome…mentally abusive? It was a bad marriage, it happens. It’s been mentioned many times before as well, but why do the stones, Beatles, and zeppelin get a pass?
This blog post is pretty shameful across the board. Why not pull the music from alcoholics and drug users? Isn’t their long-time abuse of these dangerous activities harming impressionable youth? Smoking has been proven to be bad — let’s go ahead and not play music from any artist who smoked cigarettes.
You, personally, can throw away all your Michael Jackson albums and burn your Morrisey t – shirt, but if any radio outlet decides not to play their music based on some holier than thou approach to life, I would never listen / support them ever again.
I’m not defending anyone, but we should allow the people to decide what they want to listen to and by whom — and not let some ideologues with control of the music library make such decisions. It’s not a road you want to go down.
In my country the alternative radios stopped playing Morrissey. I message the three radios about and no one answered until now. This is the complete destruction of free speech. Yes, but you can still listen Ryan Adams and Michael Jackson everyday in Portuguese radio.
So Morrissey’s T-shirt makes you nauseated and you’ll never play Michael Jackson again at your next New Year’s Eve party. Be sure to include Bowie,Led Zep & Rolling Stones on your self-righteous list. Your selective outrage is laughable. And by the way,that you can be so easily swayed by a one-sided propaganda hit piece such as Leaving Neverland without looking at both sides is all anyone needs to know about you. Those accusers filed lawsuits in 2013. Where was your outrage then if your in the believe all victims camp? It’s disturbing how many people believe whatever they see or hear in media. And one more thing. This isn’t Nazi fucking Germany. You don’t get to decide what others can or can’t listen to. Stay pressed!
Morrissey wore a pin and posted some words you don’t agree with.
And you have the gaul to compare that with people that actually caused physical harm to minors and women. You have some nerve.
Nick Cave got it right.
This is not journalism. Not even a real discussion.
Where is mention of R Kelly?
I don’t believe he can fly anymore. And his latest release is called Trapped in a Jail Cell. That’s who you should have included.
I think that it is an absolute outrage that you compare anything that Morrissey has said or done to the likes of Michael Jackson. It isn’t even nearly on par. It is everyone’s right to express their opinion in whatever way they want. There are many, many racist people out there, what, just because Morrissey is famous he gives up his right to an opinion? Are all pop stars expected to believe in exactly the same things? There MUST be no right wing celebrities out there, it’s ludicrous. There are tonnes of average blokes out there spouting the same stuff that Morrissey does, but Morrissey is met with this criticism because of who he is. But that shouldn’t make a difference. Morrissey has always said controversial things, and you can’t dismiss the genius of his music nor that of the smiths just because of what Morrissey believes in. You are to cater for the listeners of your radio station, I do firmly disagree with how you think it’s your right to stop music from playing on stations based on what certain artists believe in, because it’s not what YOU believe in.
I agree that everyone deserves a day in court and a radio ban before a criminal conviction could be premature. I also think that good music can outlast a terrible person. If people want access to the music, it’s out there. However, radio play translates to performance royalties for songwriters and potential income for deceased artists’ estates. So shunning matters. Boycotts have always been effective, will always be effective, as a means of shifting power away from those who have it towards those who don’t. I’d rather the powers that be ultimately stand with the minors.
Also, these aren’t petty grievances. MJ is accused of raping little boys and grooming them to perjure themselves. Ryan Adams is under federal investigation for sexually explicit communications with a minor.
Individuals can listen to whatever music they want, but when it comes to who gets paid, I’d rather alleged predators…not.
Morrissey has got a right to say how he feels just like anybody else from any other culture. whatever happened to freedom of speech we have all turned into a bunch of cowards.
HERE! HERE!
Another thing about Morrissey.
You’ll never know what he really thinks.
He has played the provocateur his whole life.
Does he believe exactly what he posts?
Or is he stirring up the pot?
It’s possible the dialogue is more important than the message sent.
Michael Jackson didn’t abuse children. It was proven in court. Even the FBI couldn’t find anything. Robson and Safechuck are lying. Robson DID go to the Grand Canyon with his family. Safechuck claimed abuse in a train Station that wasn’t even built until he was 17. If a radio station is too stupid to understand a dead black musician is being trashed to hide the crimes of Weinstein and other white men it doesn’t deserve to be on the air.
With Michael Jackson there is something unfair about his situation. If he had run from his trial and skipped the country
I could understand people’s reactions.
But he didn’t. He faced trial . He faced his accuser in court.
A verdict was reached.
It isn’t fair to flat out believe without any proof
whatsoever two men who by all accounts seem
to have been either turned down for a job by his
executors or are themselves being sued.
Both clearly need the money.
Now Michaels ex wife who by all accounts is in need of money promises to tell a story using Michael Jackson’s name again for money.
If you liked MJ’s music understand he was in that music.
The message of love for your fellow man and the environment were all him.
He was not a monster. But if you want to get paid both Leaving Neverland and Lisa Marie Presley know the quickest way how.
Just ask them.
SMH.
Are we now at the stage where only those artists holding certain points of view can have their songs played on the radio?? What a dull world
So you base your post/views on the most one sided documentary (i use that term loosely) in history..a documentry that openly refused to speak to others apart from the two know liars who have supported Jackson..defended Jackson and now accuse Jackson when he cant defend himself..wow..its like taking a person to court and the judge saying yep we belive everything you say and the accused dosn’t get to have thier say..come on..really…innocent until proven guilty..or clearly with you guilty until proven innocent!!!!!!…
How on earth did you not read that article back and realise how stupid you sound?
Have you really just compared someone who has merely expressed their own personal opinion, to people that are accused of rape and assault?
Morrissey, as we all are, is entitled to say what he wants. He hasn’t said anything racist in my eyes at all, he’s expressed his own observation of the world, and there are a hell of a lot of people that agree with him – just read the comments!
You’re clearly trying to make a name for yourself with this pathetic piece by adding his name. Go back to your little radio station and play your dull songs and Morrissey will continue to sell out arenas around the world.
Wienstein isn’t white; he’s a Jew. This is true of most sexually deviant celebrities.
Ever tried looking for Jewish porn? The question might sound a little ridiculous given Jewish control of the porn industry, but try looking for porn which is explicitly Jewish. There’s a lot of foot fetish stuff, cuckolding, tiny dicks, et cetera. With that level of perversion and masculine insecurity the rapey pedophile stuff they do in real life is hardly a suprise. Sadly their deviance is spreading to the white population through Jewish control of media and narritive, shoving distrastraction and division down our throats, but we still need to remember who we are and notice those who aren’t us. Harvey Weinstein is a Jew. His crimes were characteristically Jewish, not white.
Thank you for your article. It is a subject that many of us socially conscious music lovers battle with. I don’t support any artistic expression of any kind by people who represent victimization. I use my moral gauge, not a court of laws to decide who that is. We must spread love and peace. We must protect others and ourselves from hate and victimization.
To those claiming freedom of speech; I agree that, in this example, Morrisey has a right to be as racist as he sees fit. The flip to that is station owners and DJs have the right to not play his music and support him with the royalties that come from playing his music on air. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can’t be held accountable for what you say.
Nope, that’s wrong. Morrissey, and his former band The Smiths are/is legendary. Just because you’re snowflake arse is pretending to virtue signal your holier-than-thou status does not stop him/them from being so. Get over yourself.. BTW, What Moz says about everyone ultimately preferring the company of their own breed is commonsensically, obviously true.
I’d never advocate banning anyone’s music/art for their political beliefs. But if anyone decided they no longer enjoyed listening to M.Jackson’s because the realization that he was a pederast was a bridge too far. I certainly wouldn’t hold it against them.. And before the rebuttal . Please, a 35 year old man who cops to sleeping with young boys (not his own) and settles a sexual assault lawsuit with the family of a 13 year old is/was a perverted freak FULL STOP.
I wondered the same once the news broke about Ryan Adam’s. I am a long time fan and cannot deny he is a gifted artist. Proudly owned multiple albums and have traveled to see him live 3 times. You could say I was a “super fan”. But what do you do when your fav artist fucks up? Do you stop listening forever? Do you burn your vinyl? Delete your playlists? I stopped listening to him for about 4 months, but then got the itch to hear those songs that take me to my happy place. I’m glad he laid low for 6 months to let the dust settle. That was a smart move. I hope this humbled him and brought him back to planet earth. Nobody will ever really know what actually happened, and it was unfortunate for all parties involved. I hope Ryan works on being a better human and I hope he now has a greater respect for women then he had back then. Eventually, I think he can be forgiven. I can’t say I was disappointed to hear his voice on Sirius for the first time in months last week. A small smile came to my face as I cranked up the radio.
You don’t want to about settlements. If so Harvey Weinstein just made the BIGGEST payoff yet, and you seen to not wonder why a parent would REALLY just leave their child at a strangers estate, Why is their no proof whatsoever Mike ONLY had boys over. And have that same energy for OPRAH surrounding herself with girls, (who just so happened to later be abused at a school she OWNed).
Exactly, How far back are these people going to try to go with Michael Jackson, was he a pedo at age 25, 15? Exactly where are people pi pointing the exact moment he just decided to start RAPING CHILDREN, this is a very serious allegation, and I don’t need to hear 30 years later, that he’s guilty because he had sleepovers, too this day, No Video, No Photos, No Audio, No Eye Witnesses. Because people will not be dumb enough to say if they seen abuse, but did nothing, except Wade of course.. ..
That’s not what happened. The boys father in the 93 case filed a civil suit at the same time of the criminal case. Michael went to court to beg the judge to set aside the civil suit until after the criminal trial. The judge said no. The civil suit was due to be heard before the criminal trial. This meant that Michael would have had to show his entire defense in a civil case in which the prosecution would have known his entire defense before the actual trial. Because of this Michael was forced to settle. He was still preparing for the criminal trial which his lawyers prepped for a year after the civil suit was settled. Oh yes. Many people believe the civil suit stopped the criminal proceedings. It did not. They went on for a year before the father said that his son would no longer be a participant which left Michael with no way to prove his innocence. As for the sleeping in bed thing. It was not the wisest thing to do. But I see how it happened. Michael was always in his room. Whether it be a hotel room or his actual bedroom that’s where he was. He couldn’t mingle with the public because people went crazy when they saw him. Kids asked to stay and watch movies and he didn’t say no. Didn’t want to disappoint. Not the wisest decision. But he never figured out what would happen when he did say no. People even little kids are not going back to their mediocre everyday existence after spending time with Michael Jackson. They’re going to try to hang on to the lifestyle no matter what. If you look at all of the facts and the trial transcript you’ll see that Michael Jackson really has nothing to do with any of the allegations. He’s just the means to an end. They ALL including Leaving Neverland are asking for money. No prosecution of his employees or a request for a criminal investigation of his staff. Nope the money will do. Michael is not what they’re saying and they know it.
Arghhh!! Every reason to blame those who earn more than us!! The only problem I see is when someone comments or does something nasty to someone because of their race, otherwise it’s true a higher percentage of us prefer our own race unless the lower percentage that is confused!!
I am black and prefer blacks to other races( when given an option)
How come Michael Jackson was never crucified this much when he was alive like the rest????
I find it difficult to believe this accusations when someone says he was assaulted in an imaginary place( neverland). I think people are being racist towards Michael Jackson then.
True, he expressed his own opinion( we all have one).
You seem to have more sense and I am going to respectfully ask you this, do you believe Michael Jackson sexually assaulted one of the accusers in a place that was not yet built? Just asking and hope you take no offence and answer back as intelligently as you have on the other post. Thanx
And what happened to the father of the 13year old’s father( committed suicide after Michael died) and that 13 year old is in hiding with MJ’s millions!! As a parent when accusations like that come up about someone who my children are around ( safechuck and robson) I will definitely apply my morals and question a lot of things including questioning my son as to the events of the sleepovers!! Our decent parents never let us go to places that had bad reputation and as kids we knew when to blab out things, how come those two continuously lied and lied and lied up to lying about the abuse on themselves!!??
ACTORS WHO TOOK TEN YEARS PERFECTING THEIR ACT TO CONVINCE THOSE WHO THINK SUPERFICIAL!! We have seen actors cry on movies why will this people who are used to the limelight not cry for people to believe them? They are laughing inside, saying fools, they believe the tears!!
What are you saying really??
And who are you again? The only exposure you will get is on this platform, so whatever you spit won’t reach the mass- morrissey does so he has to be careful of what he says. He is in a privileged position than you and those people in the streets you mention. At the same time I believe he said sense on this one cos me being black I prefer my own race, but I wouldn’t expect Beyoncé or Rihanna to shout it out!! Those days are gone when it was entertaining to carelessly say things because you have are famous.
So mental and emotional pain does not apply in your small world? What verdict was reached on Michael Jackson for you to randomly believe he caused physical pain????
Go to bed!!!
It’s “Hear Hear”.
Morrisey is entiitled to his opinion course but the statement in itself is absolutely absurd. I’m a British Indian born and bred in the UK with full Indian origin. Does that mean I only like…..who? British people? Indian people? Or people who are just British Indians? Do I just prefer them? Damn. I better not go to the Chinese takeaway later on then!
Michael Jackson was proven to be innocent.
Ryan Adams is a bit of a dodgy one as we don’t know enough the details just yet.
Morrisey is a full blown hypocrite anyway. I will explain. He once played at an arena I used to work in and made numerous statements about freedom of speech-fair enough. However he also stated that he refused to play at said arena unless they banned selling all meat products for that night. So no hot dogs or burgers for anyone as the audience who came to watch him had to adhere to his Lifestyle for the night and had their own “freedom of speech” taken from them.
Which I think is where the problem lies.
If a radio station refuses to play music from whoever for whatever reason, it is up to that radio station. It is their decision. Find a radio station that does play it if that’s what you want to hear or access one of many numerous sites where you can listen.
Michael Jackson inspired millions. And nothing was proven even with the FBI investigating.
Ryan Adams has some Beautiful songs and some of my friends have said he has pointed about about controlling women in some of his songs.
Morrisey, I have personally never liked. Didn’t like The Smiths. Just my opinion. And I can also say as I have replied on someones’ comment below.
I am a British Indian. I was born and bred in The UK. I am of full Indian origin. Does that mean I prefer just British people? Or just Indian people? Or just British Indians?? His statement was ridiculous. And he has no right to claim he knows how people feel. It’s almost unbelievable he can come out with such stupid things.
It’s fundamentally nonsensical to equate famous people with good people. They are just as flawed, damaged, riddled with contradictions as everyone else. Most people have dark thoughts that don’t sit well with outward appearances
They just aren’t as honest or gutsy as Morrissey, and too paranoid about damaging their careers to say what they really think. Caravaggio was a murderer and Dali a fascist, but we still admire their work. Morrissey hasn’t broken any laws that I am aware of unlike the other two you group him with. It’s a matter for personal conscience, but based on very simplistic notions of good and bad which most humans cannot be totally defined by.
Funny how all your opinions are based on how much you like the music already
A little backwards and completely beside the point of the article
Morrissey isnt stating anything immoral it’s just a prefferance kind of like a fetishist likes breasts or whatever ..chicken or beef…so what. I personally like all types of meat and a woman .I like the whole being and am not into this body part or that but that’s just me and no body needs to worry about feeling disrespected by this because it’s a big world and the fetishist is marginalizing itself not any one of us….
That being said I love morrissey. Been a fan all my life and his new stuff is as good as ever, he ain’t trying to be leader of the world hes just proving that hes good at sparking minor controversy and really who cares If he likes white men….hes just saying that he feels comfortable around people that are superficial as he is perhaps..
I feel I’m different but still cant get away from loving his emotional being …or his voice. So were different philosophically or have different sexual orientations or desires …no big deal.
Jackson on the other hand a pervert. Way different. And how many people have to come out and how befuddled does he have to appear for all to see before you get it?
Mysoginist Adams…my feeling is that hes welcome to be himself and turn off as many people as he wants to…people like him need to be allowed to speak and act freely cause better they arnt hiding in the closet…they makes crazys out of wierdos.
Peace out,
Kevin
If you had a close white or latino friend you would probably reconsider who you feel best around.
Kevin
Naw
Its not common sense and it’s also not true
It’s an opinion. And only people who have never been close to someone of a different ethnicity could say these things.
Your frustration is valid. But I think your attitude would soften if you had a bff who was different race.
Good point.
Victimization is a very good word.
What certain pathological types do ..predate on sex via age or gender…these people may deserve to be stomped out. In a rage of victims.
But morrissey shouldnt be on the list.
Not a victimizer.
Not saying any kind of better than or lesser than message.
Just sort of sadly uninterested in the value of other culture in his own life maybe. Or maybe hea just baiting controversy. Who knows..
Kevin
^5
Why error on the side of phony madman jackson? You got a variety off kids all saying this thing and obviously conflicted loonytune on the other end saying “noooo that’s ignoran”…even Feldman is starting to wake up
Maybe you need to stop blaming the victims
“Hiding out with Jackson’s money”…that’s a terrifying statement. One that defys reason.
K.
Well said…if I enjoy experiencing art of any form,it is not affected by the internal workings of the person that made it.
What I enjoy daily is the product,not the producer of it.
His brokenness,as with so many artists,is the source of his genius.
Self examination is often painful. He turns it into a song.. Unfortunately,self knowledge doesn’t mean we eliminate our defective parts.
Um, here’s a thought: play more songs by women.
I hear the screams already, “but aren’t women artists just as psychologically flawed as men?”
How ’bout we pay enough attention to them to find out the answer to that question?
Just sayin’.
Jackson was never a pervert, I’d love to see you prove your statement other than regurgitate BS from the media that forces you to believe a certain narrative.
To the author that wrote this ridiculous story, you’re a serious moron. If you’re going to place Michael Jackson in a category of people you aren’t going to play because of a documentary you CHOSE to believe rather than search for answers yourself then you’re a complete ignorant fool. Why now all of a sudden is a documentary so important? Was it not important to question Jackson’s guilt or innocence back in ’93? Or were you even born yet? There is tons of explosive evidence to corroborate Michael Jackson as innocent and I don’t appreciate you spreading unconfirmed rumors and gossip about someone who is not able to interject or defend themselves. I don’t appreciate you’re hate mongering attitude and using Jackson’s name as your crutch. Number one, that documentary is not the law of our land, the law says Michael Jackson was not found guilty over 10 years ago, get over it. Number 2, that documentary had so many narrative holes in it, you could find each one on the Internet and put together what really happened. STOP murdering and tarnishing someone’s name because you choose to believe in stupid media stories that aren’t even confirmed to be true. Maybe the other 2 block heads you mentioned are true but Michael Jackson is in a league of his own.
Look behind the variety and ask yourself: His staff is still alive. Why aren’t they naming names? Why aren’t they calling for prostitution or at least an investigation into these people and how this could have happened?
It’s obvious because these workers are still alive and Dead men cannot interfere in a for profit lawsuit. Every last accusation asked him personally for money first. Except the last two. They asked the Executor directly. When he said no….
Go ahead ask yourself.
In defense of Morrissey:
No one has had their “freedom of speech” taken from them. This is more in the realm of freedom of expression, anyway. Just like you said, it’s within a radio station’s rights to avoid playing a certain artist- which is an exercise of the radio station’s freedom of expression (unless it’s a publicly owned station)- and the consumer could simply switch to another station if they want to hear that artist. Similarly, it’s within Morrissey’s right’s to ban the selling of meat at his venues, and it’s also an exercise of his freedom of expression in rebellion of the meat industry. If someone can’t stand going a few hours without meat or disagrees with Moz, one can stay home or go to a different show. I see no contradiction there.
Morrissey has the freedom to express himself. Others have the freedom to boycott him or speak against it if they don’t like it.
“Everyone ultimately prefers their own race” isn’t a ridiculous statement. It was a sociological observation, and obviously it doesn’t apply to everyone.
Why are there Black Student Unions, Asian Student Unions, and Latinx Student Unions at Universities if people don’t generally prefer the company of their own races? Why do Koreans go to Korea town in Downtown LA? Why do Japanese people live in little Japan? It’s all about familiarity. People tend to stay in their cultural groups. Of course there are exceptions, but they don’t disprove the observation.
PS: Wasn’t aware that there were other responses until I finished my comment. Apologies for any repetition.
Firstly, I’ll tell you that I’ve never had a friend who was the same race as I am, which is purely coincidental. That hasn’t changed my mind. I’m a West-Indian American immigrant. My friends will listen to my experiences, but they can’t relate to them. The only people who really can are my cousins, who have my same identity. It’s an extreme case, but there you are…
This isn’t really about individual people. It’s about culture. Race usually correlates with culture. People are drawn to familiar people, and they tend to be more comfortable around people who share a culture with them.
Why do you think people self-segregate? In schools, it’s obvious. A group of black kids at one table, a group of Asian kids at another etc.
Why are there Black Student unions, Latino Student Unions, and Asian Student Unions if people don’t prefer the company of their own races?
Why is it that only 10.2% of Americans marry outside of their own races? Coincidence?
People always fall back on familiarity.
I believe in playing the best music, and I support the initiative to play more women artists, but NOT because they’re women. The goods have to be there. For example, following the Ryan Adams controversy, a big station out here (KCSN 88.5) stopped playing Adams and started playing a lot more Phoebe Bridgers and…..Mandy Moore. Now, I can get behind Bridgers’ music. Mandy? C’mon….they were playing Mandy to make a statement. Nobody cared about her music before. She’s not an artist on the same level as Phoebe or Courtney Barnett or any other great modern day female artist you might cite.
Whoa, “miserable worthless life”? Are you alright kid? I never said “MJ rapes kids”. I said that the musicians I mentioned don’t do (I’ll concede I did call him a piece of sh*t). You are the one that made the MJ connection. What does that tell you? Besides, if you are so disturbed at the thought that people out there might not want to listen or play your beloved MJ, you are in some dire need to re-evaluate your priorities in life. Trust me, no one is going to take your copy of Thriller away from you. There is no need to throw a fit over total strangers not liking what you like. Finally, what makes you say that the musicians I mentioned haven’t made an impact in people’s lives. Just because they haven’t sold a bazillion records doesn’t mean that they haven’t made an impact. You simply aren’t well educated in those bands but the burden of proof is on you to back up your claim as to why you see them that way. If you can’t, then your opinion is baseless and lazy.
Michael Jackson is Innocent.Full Stop. Those accussers are suing for MILLIONS for the ladt six years and their lawsuits have been thrown out Twice ! The Judge called Wade Robeson an aggregious Liar that no Jurour could believe. Leaving Neverland is a propaganda puff piece with no proof only lies over and over….easily demonstrable.
This guy sound stupid. These guys in leaving Neverland are proven liars yet u now do not want to play his music? U sound stupid. So now anyone can make a claim even lie and a person can win court, die, and folks who want to lie (proven) can try to lie and make money. Does not matter, MJ is played and will continue to be played EVERYWHER even on black radio. And yes, MJ is back on top. People can see trash and lies. MJ do not need some small bigot radio station to play his music. be gone.
So true. And they changed their stories 3 times. Some of these people are talking out their rear and know nothing about MJ’s case and the conartists (proven inn court) to deal with.
I do not care I someone say they share their room with a million people across the board, if that person is LIED on about abusing, that is WRONG. PERIOD. This sounds like the same trash that people say when judging folks based on how they dress. if u wear a hoody, play loud music, wear your hair a certain way, some how that justify being viewed as a thug or criminal. WRONG. I hate that MJ put himself naively in this position to be lied on (my grandmother use to do this as well allow kids and everyone in her room. she was just broke and did not have no money for anyone to lie on her to try to make money) but that does not make it right to lie on MJ which has been proven. Look and studied the accusers instead of always looking at MJ. becareful, it does not take much to be lied on in this day and age and you do not have to let no one in your room either.
I agree. These folks better be careful. They may find themselves in situations where they are lied on and someone wants to fire them. people seem to be so quick to judge that way until it is them. Ask the former CEO of Timesup/Timesout. Her son was accused of sexual abuse he said was not true. Now she had to deal with her kid yet she was quick to judge other men accused even innocent men. Now look. It comes back.
Wade is liar. That is a fact. He did not get the MJ gig I Vegas, defended MJ for 20 years even after death until he and James had money problems (even wanted to get married at Neverland),and much more. We do not need to see no lying documentary out to make money to see these guys were proven LIARS.
exactly Paul. They are PROVEN LIARS. Even a judge in their lawsuit called out their LIES but these people who run their mouth do not bring that up about these LIARS.
And to the jerk who said “Feldman” is waking up. Feldmen is STILL SUPPORING MJ. As he said with the media, they misquoted him when he did the interview a few months ago and said on his OWN TWITTER and out of his OWN MOUTH in a video, he still supports MJ. As usual, never seen a media who will go to great length to want a black man to be viewed guilty even when MJ did all he was told to do to clear his name. Welcome to America. Even dead, a black man can not get a break.
You can say Michael Jackson is innocent of any crimes, but truth is we’ll never know for sure. At the minimum his actions were far outside the normal accepted activities that adults are supposed to carry on with minors.
Same with Ryan Adams, we don’t know of any definite illegal wrong doing, but we do know he was physically pulling shady moves on several women and mentally fucking with individual women’s minds that he was producing and dating.
Others like R Kelly tied underage girls up to his brass beds. We know that would never be considered proper behavior.
What did Morrissey do? Posted some words some folks deemed hurtful? Appeared to support some questionable folks with a post?
People that he didnt even vote for?
This whole thing seems so stupid to include him in with these other folks.
What would be cool is if journalists reported stories fairly with views from both sides and did their best to avoid using artists as “click bait”
for their own personal gain.